**1. Introduction**

More than 42 million children under the age of five are overweight or obese around the world, 35 million of whom live in low- or middle-income countries [1]. Obesity is on the rise worldwide and has been ranked as the fifth leading cause of death among children [2]. Consequently, the World Health Organization (WHO) identified childhood obesity as one of the highest priorities. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) estimates that 3 million children under the age of five die every year in the world from malnutrition, and the cost of treating malnutrition is estimated at \$3.5 trillion annually [3]. Childhood obesity is a public health problem that involves the high risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that affect people's physical, mental and health status [1]. In the United States, children under five years of age in Latin America had the highest weight and obesity prevalence (40%), followed by Australian children with an obesity prevalence of 28 per cent, which put them at high risk of metabolic syndrome [4, 5]. The 2013–2020 World Health Organization's World Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Childhood Obesity is a global priority, and recommendations have been made to countries to prevent childhood obesity [1]. WHO recommends that countries should encourage that processed, nutrient-poor foods and beverages be reduced in favor of healthier alternatives and promote physical activity to prevent childhood obesity [6].
